| Divriği | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Divriği, portal of the Darüşşifa hospital adjoining the Great Mosque | |
| Location of Divriği within Turkey. | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Region | Central Anatolia |
| Province | Sivas |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hakan Gök (CHP) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Website | www.divrigi.bel.tr |
Divriği is a town and a district of Sivas Province of Turkey. The town lies on gentle slope on the south bank of the Çaltısuyu river, a tributary of the Karasu river.
During the Byzantine period the town, then called Tephrike or Tephrice (Greek: Τεφρική), was an important stronghold for the Paulicians. They fortified it and used it as refuge and capital of their semi-independent state during the 9th century. It was captured by the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Emperor Basil I and made into a thema. Around 1071, after the battle of Manzikert, the area was conquered by the Seljuk Bey Mengujek Gazi. The medieval (13th century) castle remains still exist on top of a steep hill.
In 1228-29, while Divriği was under the rule of the Mengujekids Emir Ahmed Shah, he commissioned a mosque (Divriği Great Mosque - Divriği Ulu Camii in Turkish) which stands fully intact. The mosque, along with the adjoining Medical Center (Darüşşifa), built simultaneously with the mosque by Turan Melek Sultan, daughter of the Mengujek ruler of Erzincan, Fahreddin Behram Shah, are included on UNESCO's World Heritage List by virtue of its exquisite carvings and architecture of both building. It is considered as one of the most important works of architecture of Anatolia. The geometrical and floral patterned reliefs found on the main door in particular attract great interest.
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